Tom Huddlestone lucky to escape rap, says Harry Redknapp

Harry Redknapp has admitted Tom Huddlestone was fortunate to avoid punishment from the Football Association after the midfielder stamped on Johan Elmander during Tottenham's 4-2 defeat at Bolton last weekend.

And the Spurs manager today revealed that he will speak to Huddlestone about his on-field conduct in a bid to avoid any future trouble.

Huddlestone was also cleared of any wrongdoing when he appeared to elbow FC Twente's Marc Janko in Tottenham's 4-1 Champions League win at White Hart Lane last month but Redknapp does not believe the 23-year-old is a violent player.

"Tom is not an aggressive player by any stretch of the imagination but that is the second time he has got away with a challenge like that and I will have a word with him about it," Redknapp told The Sun. "I have to admit he was a very lucky boy not to get punished by the FA this week."

Redknapp also claimed Lee Cattermole's challenge on Luka Modric during Tottenham's 1-1 draw at home against Sunderland on Tuesday night was as dangerous as the one by Stoke's Ryan Shawcross on Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey last season that broke the Welshman's leg.

Redknapp said: "There is no doubt that Luka could have been very seriously hurt. Fortunately he saw it coming and just managed to ride it.

"Shawcross got a straight red for an identical challenge on Ramsey last season. The only difference is that Ramsey broke his leg. Because Modric picked himself up and played on, Cattermole only got a yellow."

Spurs face Blackburn at White Hart Lane tomorrow looking to get back on track in the Premier League after a run of four games without a win.